Door-operating device.



.L. c. NORTON.

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION men LAN 5. 1915.

Patented. May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WiTnesse s. Invenmr f. Lewis C.NorTon Atfys L. C. NORTON.

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED mu 5. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- itnesses. Imam 7M? Lewia C. Mi an LEWIS C. NORTON, OF CHRICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NORTON DOOR CHECK COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA;

DOOR-OPERATING DEVICE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May a, 1915.

Application filed January 5, 1915. Serial No. 806.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS C. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Door- Operating Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like arts.

p This invention relates to door-operating mechanism and has for its object to provide a novel construction by which when the door is being closed and has reached a predetermined point in its closing movement it will become automatically locked against openin movement.

ile the invention is capable of use in connection with different types of doors, it is es ecially useful in connection with sliding core for an elevator well because it not only looks the elevator door from opening movement after it has been closed to a predetermined point, such, for instance, as within a few inches of completely-closed position, but it also provides a construction which looks the toggle joint in its locked position thereby preventing the possibility of people breaking the toggle joint thereby to permit the door to open by inserting an implement through the grille-work of an elevator well.

In order to give an understanding of my invention I have illustrated in thedrawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which. the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing a sliding elevator well door having a door-operating device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the locking device; Fig. 3 is a section on the line il7-w, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line gry. Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an elevation of a door-locking device slightly dif- .ferent constructionally from that shown in Figs 1 to 4, but still embodying my invention; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 0-0., Fig. 5..

1 designates a sliding door for an eleva-' tor well which may be of any suitable or usual construction.

The door-operating mechanism herein illustrated and by which the door is opened andclosed is of the toggle joint type comprislng one member 2 pivotedat one end to the door at 3 and pivotally connected to the other end, as at. 4, to the other member 5 of the toggle lever, said other member being door-operating devices of this nature are.

used.

In door-operating devices for elevator Well doors, it is desirable to lock the door automatically from opening movement when the door has reached a predetermined point in its closing movement, so that when the operator closes the door and brings it to this predetermined point the door becomes locked against opening movement. This prevents any danger arising from opening the elevator Well door to permit a passenger to enter or leave the elevator after the closing movement of the door has been begun and the elevator has perhaps started from the landing.

My present invention provides a novel lock of this nature which is simple in construction and which can be readily applied to any elevator door having a toggle-lever operating mechanism.

In some types of toggle-leverdoor-operating mechanism a handle or operating lever is provided which is pivoted to the door and which is so connected to the toggle-lever that the initial movement of the handle in one direction will break the toggle-lever, while further movement :of the handle will open the door.

In the present embodiments of my invention I have provided a device in which the lock for preventing opening movement of the door when it has reached a predetermined closing position is associated with the handle b which the toggle-lever is broken and the oor is opened.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the door 1 has a lever 9 ivoted thereto at 8, said lever being )ivotal y connected to the toggle-lever mem er. 2 by means of a link 16. This link is shown as pivoted to the lever 9 at 11 and to the member 2 at 12. I will preferably make the lever 9 somewhat angular in shape, as shown, it presenting the two portions 13 and 1 1 which have an angular relation to each other, the pivotal connection 11 between the lever and link 10 being at the apex of the angle.

Pivotally connected to the lever 9 at 15 is a handle 16, said handle being capable of having a slight swinging movement about its pivot relative to the lever. This handle 16 is shown as extending inwardly beyond the pivot 15 and the inwardly-extended portion is provided with a shoulder 17 adapted to engage the upper edge of the lever 9 when the handle 16 is swung upwardly. This inwardly-extended portion of the handle 16 is also provided with a looking tooth or dog 18 which has engagement with a locking bar 19 secured to the door and formed on the arc of a circle, the center of which is the pivotal point 8. The bar 19 is provided with a plurality of notches 20 with which the locking dog 18 may have engagement.

When the door is closed and the togglelever device 2, 5 is straightened, the lever 9 and handle 16 will occupy the full line position Figs. 1 and 2 and the tooth 18 will have engagement with one of the notches 20 in the locking bar 19. v

To open the door the operator grasps the handle 16 and moves the latter upwardly. The initial movement of the handle 16 is a swinging movement relative to the lever 9 about the pivot 15, this movement being limited by the engagement of the shoulder 17 against the upper end of the lever 9. This initial movement, however, is sufficient to disengage the dog 18 from the notch 20, and when the shoulder-17 has been brought into engagement with the upper edge of the lever 9, then further movement of the handle 16 in the direction of the lever 9 will swing the lever 9 about its pivot 8. The

initial movement of the lever 9 acts through the link 10 to break the toggle 2, 5 thereby unlockingthe door, and further movement of the handle in the direction of the arrow will causev the door to open, as shown by the dotted li'rie position Fig. 1. When the door is to be closed it is given a movement toward the right Fig. 1, the closing movement of the door being effected by the combined spring and check 22 as usual. During the closing movement the weight of the handle 16 will hold the dogs 18 in contact withthe locking bar 19, and when the door has reached such a position in its closing movement that the dog 18 is passing over the portion of the locking bar 19 which has the notches 20 therein, thedoor will become locked fromopening movement, for if an attempt is made to open the door by pushing against the door itself, the engagement of the dog 18 with one of the notches 20 will prevent such movement. These notches 2 will preferably be placed only on the portion of the bar 19 over which the dog 18 passes during the latter part of the closing movementot' the door, and im the case of an elevator well door I prefer to place the notches 20 so that the dog 18 will not come into engagement therewith until the door is within six or eight inches of being closed. However, the position of these locking notches 20 on the bar 19 may be varied without departing from my invention and according to the requirements of use.

My invention has the further advantage that it forms a double lock for the door when it is closed. The straightening of the toggle-lever 2, 5 looks the door against opening movement by mere pressure against the door. Whe're a simple toggle-lever is used, however, it is possible for persons to insert some implement through the grating or open-work wall of the elevator well, and by pressing against'the joint of the togglelever to break the latter, thus unlocking the door.

My invention prevents anyone from unlocking the toggle-lever in this way, for when the door is shut, the engagement of the dog 18 with the notch 20 of the bar 19 will prevent the toggle-lever 2, 5 from being broken by any pressure which may be applied thereto. The only way of opening the door, therefore, is by means of the handle 16.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention. In this construction the door 1 has pivoted thereto at 8 an operating lever which is shown as made in two sections 40 and 41 that are pivotally connected together at 12, said lever being pivotally connected by the link 10 with the element2of the toggle lever device, as in the above-described embodiments. The handle 160 by which the operator actuates the door is made rigid with the section 11 of the handle and the pivotal connection between said sections is such as to permit of a slight relative movement between them. As shown, the member 40 is provided with a shoulder 43 which is adapted to be engaged by the portion 14 of the upper edge of the member 40 when the handle 160 is raised into its dotted line position Fig. 5. When the portion 44 of the member a1 is thus brought into engagement with the shoulder 43, thenv durin further upward movement of the handle in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5,"the two parts 40 and 41 act as a rigid structure and operate through the link 10 to break the toggle device 2, 5 and thereby open the door. The door 1 is provided with the curved locking bar 199 which is somewhat similar to the bar 19 Figs. 1 to 4 except that it is not provided with notches 20, the under face 45 being smooth. The member 44 carries a locking block orprojection 46 which is in line with 5 the edge 45 of the locking bar 1&0 and moves over said edge as the lever swings. The

construction is such that when the operator grasps the handle 160 and raises it into the dotted line position Fig. 1, the locking block 46 will be carried slightly away from the edge 45 and will, therefore, be free therefrom so that continued movement of the handle 160 in the direction of the arrow Fig. 5 is freely permitted whereby the door can be opened. If in closing the door the operator lets go of the handle 160, as is the usual custom thereby to allow the door to close under the influence ofthe door closer and check 50, the weight of the handle 160 will bring the locking block 46 against the edge 45 of the locking bar and said block will merely slide overthe edge of the looking bar during the closing movement of the door. If, however, when the door is partially closed it is attempted to open it by applying pressure to the door, such pressure will tend to cause the toggle levers 2, 5 to buckle upwardly and through the link 10 will lift upwardly on the joint 42 of the members 40, 41. This upward movement will tend to swing the two members 40 and 41 into line with each other and will thereby force the locking block 46 hard against the edge 45 of the locking bar 190. The shape of the edge 51 of the block 46 which has engagement with the locking bar 190 is such that when it is crowded againstthe edge 45 it acts as a cam to frictionally.grip the edge 45. Therefore, any upward movement on the joint 42 will bring the block 46 into frictional locking engagement with the edge of the locking bar and will thus lock the handle from movement. This embodiment, therefore, also provides a means for locking 5 the door from openin movement by pressure applied thereto a ter the door has been closed to a predetermined extent. This embodiment will also prevent anyone from breaking the toggle lever 2, 5 by inserting 50 an implement through the grille-work of an elevator well and lifting upwardly on said toggle lever. If such an attempt is made the upward pressure on the link 10 will bring the block 36 into locking engagement as with the edge'45 of the locking bar 190 and thus lock the. lever from movement thereby preventing the toggle lever device from being operated. In both embodiments of my invention the co construction is such that when the operator grasps the handle and gives it the upward movement in a direction to open the door, the lock becomes inefiectii e, but when the handle is released during the closing movement of the door the lock becomes automatically edective to prevent subsequent openin movement of the door by pressure applie against the door.

I claim:

1. The combination with a door, of a door 7 operating device, an actuating member movably connected to the door and bywhich the door-operating device is actuated, a locking member carried by the door, and means associated with said member and cooperating with said locking member to lock the door against opening movement after it has been closed to a predetermined extent while permittin it to close freely.

2. T e combination with a door, of a door- 30 operating device, a lever pivoted to the door and by which the door-operating device is actuated, a locking bar carried by the door, and means associated with said lever and cooperating with said locking bar to lock the 5 door against opening movement after it has been closed to a predetermined extent while permitting it to close freely.

3. The combination with a door, of a tog gle-lever door-operating device comprising two members pivotally connected together, one of which is pivoted to the door and the other of which is pivoted to a fixedabutment, a lever pivoted to the door, a pivotally-mounted lever by which the toggle-lever device is actuated, a locking member carried by the door, and means associated with the lever and coiiperating with the locking member to lock the door against opening movement. after it has been closed to a predeter- 10o mined extent.

4. The combination with a door, of a toggle-lever door-operating device, a lever pivoted to the door and by which said tog lelever device is actuated, a curved lockingiar carried by the door, and means carried by said lever and coiiperating with said lockingbar to lock the door against opening movement after it has been closed to a predetermined extent.-

5. The combination with a door, of a toggle-lever door-operating device, a handle secured to the door, connections between the handle and the toggle-lever device, said handle having a limited movement independent of said connections, and means associated with the handle to lock the door from opening movement. after it has been closed to a predetermined extent, initial movement of the handle rendering said locking means inoperative and continued movement actuating the door-operating mechanism.

6. The combination with a door, of'a toggle-lever door-operating device, a handle pivotally connected to the door for foperatmg said device but having a limited movement independent thereof, a locking bar carried by the door, and means associated with the handle and coiiperating with said bar to lock the door from opening movement aft-er are it has been closed to a. predetermined extent, nalne to this specification, in the presence of initial movement of the handle in one directwo subscribing witnesses.

tion releasing said lock and continued move- LEWIS C. NORTON ment actuatmg the door-operating mecha- Witnesses: nism. LUCILE SmTH,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my Em E. Bmw.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0." 

